Highway flare

ABSTRACT

A HIGHWAY FLARE FOR EMERGENCY USE HAVING A BASE MEMBER OF CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION AND HAVING AN INCLINED SURFACE ON AN EDGE THEREOF FOR BEING USED AS A WHEEL STOP SEPARATELY OR IN CONJUCTION WITH BEING USED AS A HIGHWAY FLARE, AND HAVING A CIRCULAR OPENING IN THE MIDDLE THEREOF FOR RECEIVING A TELESCOPIC ARRANGEMENT OF INTERLOCKING TUBES OF OVAL CONFIGURATION, LOCKING WHEN THEY ARE TURNED INTO EACH OTHER, AND HAVING AT THE OTHER END OF THE TELESCOPIC ARRANGEMENT A FLARE SUPPORT MEANS FROM WHICH   THERE IS SUPPORTED A FLARE AND A FLARE REFLECTOR OF METAL, SCREENED MATERIAL, OR THE LIKE, FOR REFLECTING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE FLARE. THE FLARE MAY BE DISPOSABLE SO THAT AFTER USE A NEW FLARE ELEMENT CAN BE INSERTED THEREIN. THE ALUMINUM REFLECTOR MAY BE OF CONE CONFIGURATION FOR PROTECTING THE FLARE FROM COMING IN CONTACT WITH FOREIGN BODIES.

F. W. TOPOREK HIGHWAY FLARE Mar'ch 6, 1973 Filed Dec. 16, 1970 FIG.2

INVENTOR FREDERICK W. TOPOP. K

FIG/I BY UQ'g/Z:

a e ATTCSRNE'Y,

United States Patent Oflice 3,719,147 Patented Mar. 6, 1973 US. Cl. 10237.8 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A highway flare for emergency use having a base member of circular configuration and having an inclined surface on an edge thereof for being used as a wheel stop .separately orin conjunction with being used as a highway flare, and havinga circular opening in the middle thereof for receiving a telescopic arrangement of interlocking tubes of ovalconflguration, locking when they are turned into each other, and having at the other end of the telescopic arrangement a flare support means from which there is supported a flare and a flare reflector of metal, screened material, or the like, for reflecting the illumination of the flareJ The flare may be disposable so that after use a new flare element can be inserted therein. The aluminum reflector may be of cone configuration for protecting the flare from coming in contact with foreign bodies.

The present invention relates to an improved highway flare device and one which is mounted on a telescopic arrangement being supported by a base or support that receives the telescopic arrangement in locking relation, and in which the upper part of the telescopic arrangement receives a flare support element and a metal reflector for protecting the flare from coming into contact with foreign bodies, as well as providing reflection of the light or flare.

More particularly, the invention relates to the novel cooperation of these elements, in which the telescopic elements are three or more oval-shaped, cross-sectional tubes received in an 'oval opening in the base, so that as they are turned, they are interlocking with each other, and the flare may thus be held in place at the top of the telescopic section.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide the reflector portion in a conic configuration so that it may be of screened, apertured metal sheets of material, such as aluminum, and there is supported a flare support means at the juncture of the conic element and the upper end of the telescopic arrangement, so that disposable flare elements can be inserted therein.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement forming a highway flare such that the parts can be collapsible into a small kit that is readily stored and safely secured in the trunk of an automobile, or in a conveniently sized compartment in or above the dash of the automobile adjacent or near the driver position, and in which the elements can be extended to their operative length and serve as a useful flare that is protected from coming into contact with foreign bodies, persons, or the like.

A further convenient object of the present invention is to provide the base member with an essentially vertical, sectional configuration that is trapezoidal in shape so that it may be conveniently used for engaging the surface of a vehicle tire as a wheel stop, and this may be used either in conjunction with the device being used as flare or separately therefrom.

A further and improved object of the present invention is to provide a flare support means secured to the upper end of the telescopic section of the flare so that it receives a disposable flare, so that when the one flare has exhausted its capability of illumination, it may be removed as to its remains, and a new flare element can be inserted therein and ignited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coneshaped reflector which may be made of perforated metal screen, perforated sheets of aluminum, or any metal structure capable of diffusing the illumination from said flare, and in which a portion of the illumination is imparted through the reflector.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an improved flare according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an improved highway flare 10 that is of the type for indicating a condition of danger or emergency, as are used in conditions of highway accidents, structural conditions of danger along highways, or the like, and in which such flare is comprised of a base member 12 having a circular crosssection taken along a horizontal plane, in which there is a generally central opening 14 that may be elliptically or generally oval-like in configuration.

Into the oval-shaped opening 14, there is fitted the larger end of a telescopic set of oval-shaped, cross-sectioned metal or plastic tubes, which are shown in the drawing as a set of at least three tubes 16, 18, 20, and these are ovalshaped for the reason that being slightly eccentric about a common coaxial line, they are adapted therefor to frictionally engage each other when turned about the central axis. By the oval construction of the opening 14 in the base 12, together with the telescopic elements 16, 18, 20, these elements when turned about their common axis are formed into a friction-tight relation with each other.

The diameters of the tubes 16, 18, 20 may be in descending value to each other in the order named, and it is also within the purview of the present invention that they may be ascending in diameter relationships, if desired.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the telescopically oriented, oval-shaped, cross-sectioned metal tubes and how they are slightly eccentric or mildly oval-shaped so that they are capable of being resiliently deformed into a friction-type engagement with each other, and with the base 12 by means of the oval opening 14.

At the upper or free end of the tube 20, there is a flare support means 24 to which is aflixed in secured relation by welding means, or other form of connection, a truncated sheet cone 28 of metal, plastic, or any other nonflammable material, that flares outwardly from the support means 24. The metal sheet 28 may be perforated, as shown by holes or openings or apertures 32, 32, disposed randomly throughout the surface of the sheet metal 28, so that there is a degree in reflection of the light about a flare element 34 in dispensing or diffusing light from the reflector formed by the metal sheet 28 about the flare element 34. The flare element 34 is of suflicient length that it has a time constant in burning, as is conventional in the art.

The flare 34 may be a disposable one that is comprised of the elements 34 so that replaceable elements can be insorted into the flare support means 24 after the flare element in use has dissipated or burned out.

By means of the present invention, it is seen that the base and the telescopic elements 16, 18, 20, can provide for a useful and new, improved flare assembly according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which is collapsible, and which can be extended into its useful position and then turned in terms of rotation about its common coaxial axis for friction-tight condition which gether with the oval opening of the base member at the flare assembly is mounted and is extensibly structured the lower end of the set of tubes, while in the useful condition. When it is completed in use, a flare support means secured to the upper end of the it can then be released from its friction-tight condition set of tubes for receiving a disposable flare, and and stored in the trunk of a car or in a compartment under a metal reflector of aluminum or the like to diffuse the dash, or some other location about the vehicle or the illumination from said flare. craft to which it is to be carried and used for emergency 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said reflector is a purposes. perforated metal screen and provides safety and protection Additional embodiments of the invention in this specififrom the flare coming in contact with foreign bodies. cation will occur to others and, therefore, it is intended 10 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said reflector is a that the true spirit of the invention to be limited only by perforated sheet of aluminum. the appended claims and not by the embodiments de- 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said reflector is scribed hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be conical-shaped and perforated for illumination in part made to the following claims in determining the true spirit through the reflector. of the invention. 15

What is claimed is: References Cited 1. A highway flare for emergency use comprising UNITED STATES PATENTS a base member of circular configuration in a plan view and having a trapezoidal-shaped vertical cross-section 2,053,454 9/1936 wlllteslde 102-374 for providing an engaging surface for a vehicle tire 20 2,595,939 5/ 1952 Gflfi'lth X as a wheel stop,

a set of telescopically oriented, oval-shaped, cross-sec- BENJAMIN BORCHELT Primary Examiner lioned tubes, 1. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner an oval opening in said base for receiving said set of telescopically oriented, oval-shaped, cross-sectioned 25 US. Cl. X.R.

metal tubes for interlocking with each of the engagl0237.4

ing surfaces thereof by a friction-tight relation to- 

